Imaginary Kingdom presents the first English translation of the Pedro de Rivera diary of 1727 and the first publication of the heretofore-unknown Marqués de Rubí­ diary of 1767. Written during military inspections of New Spain's far northern frontier, both are crucial documents for scholars and students of the Spanish presence in Texas. They contain information on the roads, towns, missions, indigenous peoples, flora, and fauna of this remote outpost of the Spanish empire, which was truly an "imaginary kingdom" - —a possession of the crown in name only.