Chapter 1 describes what might be called a Qajar imperial vision – the written, visual, and auditory ways that Qajar kingship and political authority were articulated, as well the structure and institutions of Qajar government. It draws on early Qajar chronicles, political ethical literature (andarznāma), art, and architecture, among other sources, to argue that Aqa Muhammad Khan and Fath-ʿAli Shah self-consciously presented themselves as heirs to a long tradition of Iranian kingship, but especially made claims to have resuscitated a model of imperial rule. The chapter helps frame the remainder of the book’s focus on early Qajar political practices.