Quick answer
- The Celestial Dragons (World Nobles) descend from 19 of the First Twenty kings who founded the World Government 800 years ago. Only the Nefertari family of Arabasta stayed home and never became Celestial Dragons (Ch. 1084).
- As of Chapter 1195, 13 Celestial Dragon family names are known: Nerona, Figarland, Donquixote, Shepherd, Rimoshifu, Manmayer, Jaygarcia, Marcus, Topman, Ethanbaron, Rosward, Satchels and Bavette.
- Only five of the First Twenty houses are directly confirmed: Nerona (Imu), Nefertari, Donquixote, Shepherd and Rimoshifu. The other families are World Nobles, but the manga hasn’t tied each name to a specific founding king.
- Celestial Dragons who lost their lives or status were almost all removed by their own side: Imu took Saturn’s immortality, Garling executed Mjosgard, and Homing gave up his title himself.
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The Celestial Dragons, officially the World Nobles, are the descendants of 19 of the First Twenty kings who founded the World Government 800 years ago. As of Chapter 1195, the manga has named 13 Celestial Dragon families and a few dozen individual nobles. They range from the useless Saint Charlos to the immortal Five Elders and Imu himself.
This guide lists every known family, which First Twenty houses are confirmed, and every named Celestial Dragon with their status. It covers the manga up to Chapter 1195 (released October 12, 2026). Expect spoilers for the Egghead and Elbaph Arcs. Nothing from leaks or unreleased chapters is included.
Who are the Celestial Dragons?
About 800 years ago, twenty monarchs formed an alliance, won the Great War and founded the World Government. Nineteen of the royal families then moved to the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, on top of the Red Line. Their descendants are the World Nobles, called Tenryubito (Celestial Dragons) in Japanese (Ch. 722, Ch. 1084).
A few basics:
- Title. Every noble carries the honorific Saint. In Japanese, men use -sei and women use -gu.
- Money. Their wealth comes from the Heavenly Tribute, a heavy tax paid by every member nation.
- Symbol. Their slaves are branded with the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon (Ch. 521).
- Protection. If a noble is attacked, a Marine admiral is sent after the attacker. That is why Luffy punching Saint Charlos on Sabaody was such a big deal (Ch. 502).
Most Celestial Dragons cannot fight at all. The exceptions are the Five Elders, the Holy Knights of God and Imu. They are all World Nobles too, just armed ones.
All known Celestial Dragon families (as of Chapter 1195)
This table lists every family name the manga or Oda has given. “First named” is the first time the family name itself was shown.
| Family | Known members | First Twenty confirmed? | First named |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nerona | Imu | Yes (Ch. 1086, Ch. 1179) | Ch. 1086 |
| Figarland | Garling, Shamrock, Shanks (former) | Not stated | Ch. 1086 |
| Donquixote | Mjosgard, Shivercalero; Homing, Doflamingo, Rosinante (former) | Yes (Ch. 722) | Ch. 722 |
| Shepherd | Ju Peter, Sommers | Yes, family weapon Gram (Ch. 1189) | Ch. 1086 |
| Rimoshifu | Killingham | Yes, family weapon Longinus (Ch. 1189) | Ch. 1140 |
| Manmayer | Gunko, Gurou, an unnamed woman at God Valley | Not stated | Ch. 1096 |
| Jaygarcia | Saturn | Not stated | Ch. 1086 |
| Marcus | Mars | Not stated | Ch. 1086 |
| Topman | Warcury | Not stated | Ch. 1086 |
| Ethanbaron | Nusjuro | Not stated | Ch. 1086 |
| Rosward (VIZ: Roswald) | Rosward, Charlos, Shalria | Not stated | Ch. 660; full names in SBS Vol. 113 |
| Satchels | Maffey | Not stated | Ch. 1161 |
| Bavette | No named member | Not stated | Ch. 1160 |
Two points that trip people up:
- Rosward is the family name. Charlos’s father is Saint Rosward Rosward. Oda confirmed this in SBS Volume 113 and joked that his parents were idiots for naming him after the family.
- “Not stated” doesn’t mean outsiders. Every World Noble descends from the founders. What the manga hasn’t confirmed is whether a name like Figarland or Marcus is the same name a founding king used 800 years ago.
The First Twenty: which kings are known?
The First Twenty (also called the Creators) were the twenty monarchs of the alliance. Each of the 19 who moved to Mary Geoise planted a weapon around the Empty Throne as a vow that no one would rule the world alone (Ch. 907, Ch. 1084). Imu now sits on that throne.
Only five founding houses are directly confirmed:
| House | Founder or link | What we know | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nerona | Saint Nerona Imu himself | Ivankov names “Saint Imu of the Nerona family” as one of the Twenty; Imu is still alive 800 years later | Ch. 1086, Ch. 1179 |
| Nefertari | Queen Nefertari D. Lili | The only founding family that stayed home (Arabasta) and never became Celestial Dragons | Ch. 1084 |
| Donquixote | An unnamed King Donquixote | Ruled Dressrosa and enslaved the Tontatta | Ch. 722, Ch. 1084 |
| Shepherd | Unnamed ancestor | Swore the oath on the saber Gram | Ch. 1189 |
| Rimoshifu | Unnamed ancestor | Swore the oath on the spear Longinus | Ch. 1189 |
So 15 of the 20 founding houses are still unconfirmed. Ten of the 19 throne weapons have names, so expect more houses to be linked through their weapons.
The Nefertari family’s choice matters. Because Lili went home, her descendants have no noble privileges and are looked down on as traitors (Ch. 908). Imu is clearly interested in Lili’s descendant Vivi: he keeps her photo and ordered the Five Elders to bring her to him (Ch. 908, Ch. 1086). For the founding era itself, see our Void Century timeline.
Celestial Dragons list: every named noble
Here is every named World Noble, current or former, with status as of Chapter 1195. The Holy Knights appear here only as nobles. Their ranks and powers are in our Holy Knights members guide.
| Name | Family | Role | Status (Ch. 1195) | First appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imu | Nerona | King of the World, one of the First Twenty | Alive; came to Elbaph in person (Ch. 1179) and is fighting Luffy and Loki (Ch. 1193) | Ch. 906 |
| Figarland Garling | Figarland | Former Holy Knights Supreme Commander; Five Elder (Science and Defense) | Alive; became an Elder after Saturn (Ch. 1125) | Ch. 1086 |
| Figarland Shamrock | Figarland | Holy Knights Commander; Shanks’s older twin | Alive; recalled from Elbaph to Mary Geoise (Ch. 1140) | Ch. 907 |
| Jaygarcia Saturn | Jaygarcia | Former Five Elder (Science and Defense) | Deceased; Imu stripped his immortality (Ch. 1125) | Ch. 233 |
| Marcus Mars | Marcus | Five Elder (Environment) | Alive | Ch. 233 |
| Topman Warcury | Topman | Five Elder (Justice) | Alive | Ch. 233 |
| Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro | Ethanbaron | Five Elder (Finance) | Alive | Ch. 233 |
| Shepherd Ju Peter | Shepherd | Five Elder (Agriculture) | Alive | Ch. 233 |
| Shepherd Sommers | Shepherd | Holy Knight | Alive; struck down by Zoro’s Conqueror’s Haki attack (Ch. 1195) | Ch. 1140 |
| Rimoshifu Killingham | Rimoshifu | Holy Knight | Alive; still fighting Sanji (Ch. 1195) | Ch. 1140 |
| Manmayer Gunko | Manmayer | Holy Knight; once Princess Shuri of Esperia | Alive; free of Imu’s control and struggling with her memories (Ch. 1195) | Ch. 1134 |
| Manmayer Gurou | Manmayer | Holy Knight 62 years ago; Gunko’s father | Unknown | Ch. 1185 |
| Satchels Maffey | Satchels | Holy Knight 38 years ago | Unknown | Ch. 1160 |
| Donquixote Mjosgard (VIZ: Myosgard) | Donquixote | Regular noble who sided with the Neptune family | Deceased; executed by Garling (Ch. 1086) | Ch. 625 |
| Donquixote Shivercalero | Donquixote | Regular noble; Mjosgard’s father | Not shown since a flashback | Ch. 625 |
| Rosward Rosward | Rosward | Regular noble | Alive | Ch. 497 |
| Rosward Charlos | Rosward | Regular noble | Alive; beaten at the Levely by Mjosgard, then Sai and Leo (Ch. 907) | Ch. 499 |
| Rosward Shalria | Rosward | Regular noble | Alive | Ch. 497 |
| Jalmack (VIZ: Jalmac) | Unknown | Regular noble | Alive; shot Sabo’s boat 12 years ago (Ch. 588) | Ch. 588 |
| Pluming | Unknown | Regular noble | Alive; Karasu took his gun during the Levely raid (Ch. 1083) | Ch. 1083 |
| York | None | Vegapunk satellite given noble status | Alive; now a World Noble (Ch. 1179) | Ch. 1065 |
York is the only known outsider made a World Noble. She sold out the other Vegapunks for that status (Ch. 1078).
Former Celestial Dragons
A noble can give up the title, but it can never be reclaimed. That rule shapes three of the series’ biggest stories.
| Name | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Donquixote Homing | Left Mary Geoise to live as a commoner with his wife and sons. Locals who hated the nobles hunted the family down, and his son Doflamingo killed him | Ch. 760, 763, 767 |
| Donquixote Doflamingo | Born a noble and never allowed back. He blackmailed the government to regain some privileges, and is now an Impel Down prisoner after Dressrosa | Ch. 760, 761 |
| Donquixote Rosinante (VIZ: Rocinante) | Became a Marine and saved Law; killed by Doflamingo | Ch. 767 |
| Shanks | Born a Figarland and Shamrock’s younger twin. He returned to Mary Geoise as a noble about 15 years ago, then left for good | Ch. 1138, 1167 |
Shanks is the most debated case. Shamrock says outright that Shanks threw away his place among the nobles for the “filthy lower world” (Ch. 1138). So he is a former Celestial Dragon, not a current one. The full twin story is in our Shamrock and Shanks guide.
How many Celestial Dragon families are there?
In theory, 19, one for each founding king who moved to Mary Geoise. The manga has never said whether those 19 bloodlines have split or died out over 800 years.
What we can count:
- 13 family names are known (the table above).
- 5 founding houses are confirmed, counting Nefertari, which is not a Celestial Dragon family.
- 10 of the 19 throne weapons are named, including Gram (Shepherd) and Longinus (Rimoshifu) (Ch. 1189).
If you see a list claiming all 20 houses are known, it is guessing.
Are there any good Celestial Dragons?
Very few, and the system punishes them.
- Homing chose a normal life and lost everything, including his life.
- Mjosgard changed after Queen Otohime saved him on Fish-Man Island. At the Levely he struck Charlos to protect Shirahoshi (Ch. 907). Garling later executed him for siding with commoners against another noble (Ch. 1086).
- Gunko may be the next case. She was taken from Esperia as a girl and kept under the Covenant. In Chapter 1195 her suppressed memories of Brook surface and she breaks down in tears.
Celestial Dragons who died or fell: who did it?
Sort the list by how each noble fell and a pattern appears. Outsiders humiliate the Celestial Dragons, but the nobles who actually die or vanish are removed by their own side.
| Noble | What happened | Who did it |
|---|---|---|
| Jaygarcia Saturn | Killed after Egghead | Imu (Ch. 1125) |
| Donquixote Mjosgard | Executed | Garling (Ch. 1086) |
| Donquixote Homing | Gave up his title; later killed | Himself; then his son Doflamingo (Ch. 767) |
| Manmayer Gunko | Body possessed | Imu (Ch. 1149) |
| Rosward Charlos | Beaten up, twice | Luffy (Ch. 502); Mjosgard, Sai and Leo (Ch. 907) |
Outsiders like Luffy and the Revolutionary Army hurt the nobles’ pride and supplies. Imu and the nobles themselves do the killing.
Where do the Five Elders and Holy Knights fit?
Both groups are Celestial Dragons, not a separate class.
- The Five Elders are the highest-ranking nobles and run the government under Imu. Imu can appoint and remove them, as he did when Garling replaced Saturn (Ch. 1125).
- The Holy Knights of God have the authority to settle disputes among nobles and can execute them. One catch: not every Knight is a noble. The giant king Harald became a full Knight without becoming a World Noble (Ch. 1168).
For every Knight’s rank, Devil Fruit and fights, see the Holy Knights members guide. For the rest of the cast on the island, see our Elbaph Arc characters guide.
Names: World Nobles vs Celestial Dragons
They are the same people. Sekai Kizoku is translated World Nobles. Tenryubito, literally “Heavenly Dragon Folk,” is translated Celestial Dragons. VIZ uses both, and English fans mostly say Celestial Dragons.
Some names differ by translation too: Roswald/Rosward, Myosgard/Mjosgard, Jalmac/Jalmack and Rocinante/Rosinante. This guide uses the spellings most common among English fans and lists VIZ’s in brackets.
FAQ
How many Celestial Dragon families are there in One Piece?
There should be 19, one for each founding king who moved to Mary Geoise. As of Chapter 1195, 13 family names are known: Nerona, Figarland, Donquixote, Shepherd, Rimoshifu, Manmayer, Jaygarcia, Marcus, Topman, Ethanbaron, Rosward, Satchels and Bavette.
Which of the First Twenty kings are known?
Five houses are confirmed: Nerona (Imu himself), Nefertari (Queen Lili), Donquixote, Shepherd and Rimoshifu (Ch. 722, 1084, 1086, 1189). The other 15 founding houses haven’t been named yet.
Is Shanks a Celestial Dragon?
He was born one. Shanks is a Figarland, Garling’s son and Shamrock’s younger twin. He returned to Mary Geoise as a noble about 15 years ago but later left, and Shamrock looks down on him for it (Ch. 1138, 1167). He is a former Celestial Dragon.
What is Saint Charlos’s family name?
Rosward. His father is Saint Rosward Rosward, and his sister is Saint Rosward Shalria. Oda confirmed the full names in SBS Volume 113. VIZ spells it Roswald.
Are the Five Elders Celestial Dragons?
Yes. The Five Elders are the highest-ranking World Nobles. Imu is above them and can replace them, as he did when Figarland Garling took over from Jaygarcia Saturn (Ch. 1125).
For the organisation opposing the World Government, see our Revolutionary Army members guide.
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This guide is the English edition of a BuzzBeaver article originally written in Japanese: 日本語版を読む. Facts are checked against the official manga and anime; fan theories are labeled as such.