Editing Mali Empire (section)

=== Order of battle ===
The army of the Mali Empire during the 14th century was divided into northern and southern commands led by the Farim-Soura and Sankar-Zouma, respectively.<ref name=recherches/> Both of these men were part of Mali's warrior elite known as the ''ton-ta-jon-ta-ni-woro'' ("sixteen carriers of quivers"). Each representative or ''ton-tigi'' ("quiver-master") provided counsel to the ''mansa'' at the Gbara, but only these two ''ton-tigi'' held such wide-ranging power.

The ''ton-tigi'' belonged to an elite force of cavalry commanders called the ''farari'' ("brave men"). Each individual ''farariya'' ("brave") had a number of infantry officers beneath them called ''kèlè-koun'' or ''dùùkùnàsi''. A ''kèlè-koun'' led free troops into battle alongside a ''farima'' ("brave man") during campaign. A ''dùùkùnàsi'' performed the same function except with slave troops called ''sofa'' ("guardian of the horse") and under the command of a ''farimba'' ("great brave man"). The ''farimba'' operated from a garrison with an almost entirely slave force, while a ''farima'' functioned on field with virtually all freemen.