Seven Warlords of the Sea

The Seven Warlords were a handful of fearsome, notorious pirates granted official sanction by the World Government, forming one of the Three Great Powers that held the world in balance. Their assignment was simple in concept: turn pirates loose on other pirates while standing as a symbol of governmental might. In return each member had his bounty frozen and gained wide latitude to commit crimes. Other pirates branded them government dogs, yet feared their reputations all the same.

Despite serving the same masters, the Warlords rarely respected one another or the Government, and the notion of them fighting as a single unit was treated as unthinkable. Many were New World veterans who had crossed paths with the Emperors. Some carried Devil Fruits almost impossible to overcome, like Hancock's petrification, Doflamingo's strings, or Moria's shadow-stealing zombies, while others such as Mihawk and Jinbe leaned on pure skill. The Government also chose members for symbolism or grudges, valuing Jinbe as a sign of peace with the fish-men and Buggy for his fame and large following.

The roster over time included Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, the fish-man master Jinbe, Crocodile, Donquixote Doflamingo, the tyrant Bartholomew Kuma, Gecko Moria, the empress Boa Hancock, plus later additions such as Buggy, Edward Weevil, Trafalgar Law, and briefly Blackbeard. After Crocodile and Doflamingo were exposed for undermining kingdoms, Admiral Fujitora pressed a campaign against the system, and a majority of kings at the next Levely voted to dissolve it, reverting every remaining Warlord into a wanted criminal. Crocodile and Mihawk later founded Cross Guild.