1. About this policy

Tales of the Middle Ages is an independent website, founded in 2024, that shares stories, history, and background about the medieval world. This policy explains the standards we hold ourselves to when researching and publishing our content, how we handle accuracy and corrections, and the rules that govern any content submitted by readers.

We publish this policy openly because we want readers, and the tools that surface our work, to understand how our content is created and where it comes from. If you have a question about anything below, please reach out through our contact page.

2. Who is responsible for our content

All content on Tales of the Middle Ages is planned, researched, and reviewed under the direction of the site’s owner and lead writer. A named human editor is responsible for every article we publish. We do not publish anonymous or unattributed content, and we do not accept paid guest posts or sponsored articles that are presented as ordinary editorial content.

Where we use artificial intelligence tools to assist with research organization, drafting, or editing, a human editor reviews, fact-checks, and approves the material before it is published. AI tools do not publish to this site automatically, and they are not treated as a source of historical fact.

3. Historical accuracy standards

Medieval history is a field where evidence is often incomplete and where reputable experts sometimes disagree. Our goal is to tell engaging stories while representing the historical record as faithfully as we can. To do that, we hold our content to the following standards.

Sourcing

We base our articles on credible, verifiable sources. Where possible we rely on primary sources (such as chronicles, charters, and archaeological findings) and on peer-reviewed or academically credible secondary sources (such as works by recognized historians and reputable museums, universities, and archives). We avoid relying on other blogs, AI-generated summaries, or unsourced claims circulating online.

Fact-checking

Before publication, factual claims (names, dates, places, events, and figures) are checked against our sources. When a specific date, statistic, or quotation appears in an article, it is drawn from a source we have consulted rather than from memory or assumption.

Certainty, uncertainty, and interpretation

We distinguish clearly between what is well documented, what is debated, and what is legend or tradition. When historians disagree, we say so and, where it matters, we present the main competing views. When a popular story is a myth, a later invention, or unverified tradition, we label it as such rather than presenting it as established fact. We take care to separate historical evidence from our own storytelling, description, and interpretation.

Conventions

We aim to use dates, names, and terminology consistently and in the forms most useful to a general reader. Because spellings of medieval names and places vary between sources, we choose a clear, commonly recognized form and note significant alternatives where it helps understanding.

Context and sensitivity

The medieval period includes subjects such as warfare, religion, disease, and social hierarchy that can be difficult or contested. We write about these subjects in their historical context, without endorsing the values or practices of the past, and we take care not to present harmful stereotypes as historical fact.

4. Corrections policy

We want our content to be accurate, and we treat corrections as part of that commitment rather than as an exception. If you believe something on Tales of the Middle Ages is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date, please tell us through our contact page and, if you can, point us to a source.

We review every correction request. When we confirm that a factual error has been published, we correct it promptly. For minor fixes, such as a typo or a small clarification, we simply update the article. For a significant factual correction, we update the article and, where appropriate, note that a correction has been made. We also review and refresh older articles over time to keep them accurate.

5. Content moderation and user-generated content guidelines

User-generated content means anything submitted or posted by readers rather than written by our editorial team, including blog comments, reader submissions, reviews, forum or community posts, and messages sent through the site.

Current status: Tales of the Middle Ages does not currently host public user-generated content. Comments and reader submissions are not open at this time. The guidelines below set out the standards that will apply if and when we enable any such feature, so that our approach to moderation is established and transparent in advance.

Guidelines for participation

If we open comments, submissions, or any community space, contributions must be respectful, relevant, and lawful. We ask that contributors are courteous to others, stay reasonably on topic, and do not post the following:

• Hateful, discriminatory, harassing, threatening, or abusive content, including attacks based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age.
• Content that is defamatory, knowingly false, or presented as historical fact without any basis.
• Spam, advertising, affiliate or promotional links, or repetitive off-topic posting.
• Obscene, sexually explicit, or gratuitously violent material.
• Content that infringes copyright, trademark, or other rights, or that reproduces substantial copyrighted text without permission.
• Personal or private information about any individual, including yourself or others.
• Content that is unlawful or that encourages unlawful acts.

How moderation works

Any user-generated content we enable will be moderated. We may review submissions before they appear, review them after they are posted, or both. We reserve the right to edit, decline, or remove any contribution that breaches these guidelines, and to withhold or remove access from anyone who repeatedly or seriously breaks them. We aim to apply these rules consistently and fairly.

Contributors remain responsible for what they submit. Views expressed in user-generated content are those of the individual contributor and do not represent the views of Tales of the Middle Ages. Corrections of fact within reader contributions are handled in the same spirit as our own corrections policy above.

If you see user-generated content on the site that you believe breaches these guidelines, please report it through our contact page, and we will review it.

6. Compliance and intellectual property

We respect intellectual property rights. We use text, images, and other media only where we hold the rights, have a license, have permission, or are relying on a recognized exception such as public domain or fair use with appropriate credit. If you believe any material on this site has been used in a way that infringes your rights, please contact us, and we will review the matter and act promptly where a valid concern is raised.

Where an article contains advertising, affiliate links, or any other paid or sponsored element, we disclose that clearly so that readers can tell editorial content apart from commercial content. Our handling of personal data, including any information submitted through the site, is governed by our privacy policy.

7. Reviewing this policy

We review this policy periodically and update it as our content and features change, for example if we open comments or add new types of reader participation. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last updated.

8. Contact

Questions about this policy, corrections, rights concerns, or reports about user content can be sent through our contact page at talesofthemiddleages.com, or by email at info@talesofthemiddleages.com.