Imaginary Kingdom presents the first English translation of the Pedro de Rivera diary of 1727 and the first publication of the heretofore-unknown Marques 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.

Both documents are carefully edited and annotated by Jack Jackson and William C. Foster. The diaries are accompanied by a wealth of related material, including supporting documents; detailed maps, eight reproduced in color; and in-depth assessments of each inspection.

Number four in the Barker Texas History Center Series.
ISBN 0-87611-145-2 (cloth), -146-0 (limited). 6 x 9 in., 300 pp. 14 black-and-white illustrations, 8 color plates, foreword, introduction, bibliography, index. Cloth, $29.95 Member's price, $23.96 Limited edition, $75.00 Member's price, $60.00

Publication of this book was made possible in part by a grant from the Summerfield G. Roberts Foundation of Dallas.