Noble

Noble is a state-privileged status which is generally hereditary. Titles of nobility are usually associated with present or former monarchies. The term originally referred to those who were "known" or "notable" and was applied to the highest social class in pre-modern societies.

Nobles in One Piece
A majority of the nobles shown in the series have been portrayed as stingy, ignorant and lethargic. In particular, the nobles from Sabaody Archipelago, who were afraid of catching an infection before Hatchan was shot; based upon superstition of merfolk, and being rather remorseless at the fact he was injured afterwards. This mindset includes the Goa Kingdom nobles deciding to have Gray Terminal burned in order to massacre the poor people living there who tried to escape so as to make their domain more beautiful for the visiting Celestial Dragon, Saint Jalmack, in hopes they'll be given an advancement in aristocratic prestige.

The worst among them also believe that the "commoners" are fools for reasons outside of their control; one key statement where a father told his daughter that peasantry were trash and claiming that they were stupid for “not choosing to be born noble". All such nobility whom share said same attitude are or have been shown to be very cowardly, where despite their fearsome reputations, often recoil in fear of any threat of physical violence. They also presumably believe people are only interested in monetary gain, often bribing or suggesting money as a form of defense, and if that does not succeed, they suggest the consequences that harming them would cause. They will believe that person to be insane if they do not accept either otherwise. In other words, many of whom have no idea how the real world works outside their own petty and selfish reasons.

However, it is shown by Sabo that some people born into nobility do not always inherit this heartless attitude. In fact, Sabo completely rejected his noble status and was even ashamed to have been born a noble after the burning of the Grey Terminal. Sabo himself would later choose to join the Revolutionary Army after being saved by Monkey D. Dragon and despite his amnesia, he rejected returning to his family after Dragon informed him of his identity as a noble. Sabo would eventually become the army's chief of staff and Dragon's second-in-command, making himself an enemy of the World Government.

Furthermore, despite all the generally negative aspects of the nobility, the nobles have shown to be capable of compassion and willingness to take moral actions if certain actions are seen to be taken too far even by their standards. This is clearly shown in the nobles of Sorbet Kingdom when King Bekori enacted his tyrannical laws on the south part of the Kingdom. At first, the nobles are disgusted by the policy but choosing to be indifferent to the plight of the poor people of the south. However, when King Bekori decided to mimic Goa King in burning the entire Southern part of the kingdom in quest to curry the favor from the Celestial Dragons, the nobles snap out of their indifference and protest against him violently and willing to stand for the poor people of the South since according to them, Bekori's action has crossed the line. This fact clearly shows that there are some lines, the nobility is not willing to cross.

According to Sabo, a noble only becomes a true noble at age eighteen.

Regular Nobles are not to be confused with World Nobles, as they are restricted to their own respective kingdoms while the World Nobles are people who were descendants from the Twenty Kingdoms and live only in Mary Geoise whose noble status is universal.

The Wano Country have their own class of nobility, known as "Daimyo" (大名), whose families act as lords of the regions that make up the country. Although they are influential like nobles in other countries, they follow the creed of the samurai, and therefore are not spoiled by their wealth and status; they do not simply use money to solve their issues, and do not cower away when the lesser class use physical force, as the eight-year old Kozuki Momonosuke demonstrated. The Kozuki Family, lord of Kuri, has several retainers, even two from the foreign country of Zou.

Trivia

 * Sabo is the only noble shown thus far to be ashamed of his status and to have renounced his noble heritage.
 * The nobles of Sorbet Kingdom are the only known nobility to rise up against the monarchy for the crime against the common folks.
 * 12 years ago, the king of Goa offered the statuses of nobility to the members of the Bluejam Pirates if they burned down Gray Terminal. However, the king turned back on his words and left the crew to die by the very flames they've created.
 * Zeo proclaimed himself as the "Noble of the Fishman District" (魚人街の貴族)

Site Navigation
Noble Nobles Знать