The Imperator-class Star Destroyer was manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards to serve as a massive, powerful, and multi-functional warship. It was one of the largest warships in the Republic Navy.
The Imperator-class was modified and refined into its successor, the Imperial-class (pictured).
In 19 BBY, KDY built upon the design of the Venator-class Star Destroyer to create the Imperator-class, which was additionally designed by the Galactic Republic. With the design completed in the same year, the Imperator-class Star Destroyer was introduced near the end of the Clone Wars, appearing in small numbers and witnessing limited service before the end of the conflict. Following the Battle of Coruscant, and the transformation of the Republic into the Galactic Empire, KDY was contracted as the exclusive Imperial supplier of Star Destroyers for the Imperial Navy.
Later in 19 BBY, KDY reworked the Imperator-class into the Imperial-class, and production of the refined Star Destroyer was increased under the Galactic Empire. The Imperial-class became a mainstay of the Imperial Navy, and it went on to have a distinguished career. As it was capable of laying waste to entire planets, the Imperial-class became the prime enforcer of the Empire and rendered its predecessor, the Imperator-class, obsolete.
The Imperator-class Star Destroyer was first mentioned in the current Star Wars canon in the twentieth issue of De Agostini's Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon magazine, which was released around May 20, 2015. In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the Imperator-class Star Destroyer was the initial name of the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer, as established by the 2005 reference book Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections, which was authored by Curtis Saxton. In Latin, the word "imperātor" means "commander," "general," or "emperor."
Although established to be a separate class of Star Destroyer, the seventy-fourth issue of the magazine states that the Imperial-class was originally known as the Imperator-class, as does "Starships of the Empire and the Rebellion." Since Star Wars: Timelines, released in 2023, reconfirms that the Imperator-class was a separate Star Destroyer, this article assumes Build the Millennium Falcons seventy-fourth issue and Star Wars Encyclopedia is incorrect.