God (Title)

In Skypiea, the title of God refers to the ruling body of the sky islands and oceans that compose the country.

Overview
God is generally looked at as a governing class of sorts among the inhabitants of Skypiea, making them akin to a King in essence. They have the authority to establish laws and bestow punishment on criminals.

However, other than the title itself, the position of God holds no religious or divine overtones, being a regular physical being who is neither all-powerful nor perfect. The Shandia in particular did not acknowledge the rule of Skypiea's Gods and warred against their forces for centuries for the sake of retrieving their rightful homeland, ever since it was shot up in the sky.

Like most rulers, Gods are often accompanied by a military that serves and protects them while maintaining peace in Skypiea. Normally, this task falls upon the Divine Squad, with God's Guards serving as a policing force. When Enel took over as God of Skypiea, the country's military duties fell upon God's Army, which included Enel's priests and the Divine Soldiers, with the original Divine Squad being enslaved and used as workforce for the construction of the Maxim.

Gods

 * Ubau was the the first known man to hold the position of God, having governed Skypiea 400 years prior to the current storyline. Driven by greed and pride, Ubau started the war with the Shandia for Upper Yard and its resources, a conflict that would continue for centuries.
 * Gan Fall is the current two-time God of Skypiea, with his first rule being known as far as at least 25 years ago, when he met and assisted Gol D. Roger and his crew during their voyage. As God, Gan Fall strove to compromise with the Shandia and negotiate for peace, but was unsuccessful due to his clashing ideals with that of Wyper and the Shandian youth. Six years ago, he was usurped from his position by Enel and his followers, but reclaimed the title after four years, following Enel's defeat by the hands of Monkey D. Luffy.
 * Enel was the God of Skypiea from six to two years ago, having invaded the country with his army after the destruction of his original homeland of Birka. Enel was a tyrant and suffered from a massive God complex, but otherwise did not care for Skypiea as a nation, merely using it as a means to attain his goal of reaching Fairy Vearth.