Bernardo del Carpio (also spelled Bernaldo del Carpio) is a legendary hero of the medieval Spain.[1] Until the end of the nineteenth century and the labors of Ramón Menéndez Pidal, he, not El Cid, was considered to have been the chief hero of medieval Christian Spain and was believed to be a historical person. His factual existence has been defended in the later 20th century, although the Spanish government has not designated him to be historical.