Crossed products by Hecke pairs I: *-algebraic theory

We develop a theory of crossed products by "actions" of Hecke pairs $(G, \Gamma)$, motivated by applications in non-abelian $C^*$-duality. Our approach gives back the usual crossed product construction whenever $G / \Gamma$ is a group and retains many of the aspects of crossed products by groups. In this first of two articles we lay the $^*$-algebraic foundations of these crossed products by Hecke pairs and we explore their representation theory.