The Society of King Charles the Martyr is an Anglican devotional society dedicated to the cult of King Charles the Martyr, a title of Charles I of England (1600–1649). It is a member of the Catholic Societies of the Church of England, an Anglo-Catholic umbrella group. It is also active in the Scottish Episcopal Church and North America, and has international members elsewhere. History After Charles I was executed in 1649, it was said that the Puritans had offered to spare his life if he would abolish episcopacy in the Church of England. On the basis that his refusal led to his death, high church supporters of episcopacy viewed his death as a martyrdom. After the 1660 Restoration of his son Charles II to the throne, observance of 30 January, the date of Charles I's execution, was added to the Church of England's liturgical calendar, with a special service in the Book of Common Prayer and special sermons preached. The Anniversary Days Observance Act 1859 removed the service, along with those of Gunpowder Plot and the Restoration, as being of political rather than religious character. The liberal influence which led to the 1859 change also produced a Tractarian reaction, which developed into Anglo-Catholicism and encouraged a renewal of high church practices. The Society of King Charles the Martyr was founded in 1894 with the stated purpose of "intercessory prayer for the defence of the Church of England against the attacks of her enemies." Since then, the objectives have extended to religious devotion in keeping with the traditions of Anglo-Catholicism. In England Today, the society's stated objectives are the following: Intercessory prayer for the Church of England and Churches in communion therewith. Promotion of a wider and better observance of the feast day of St Charles, 30 January. Work for the reinstatement of the Feast of St Charles in the calendar of The Prayer Book from which it was removed in 1859 without the due consent of the Church as expressed in Convocation; the Feast was restored to the calendar in the Alternative Service Book of 1980 and a new collect composed for Common Worship in 2000. The propagation of the true knowledge about the life and times of S. Charles, and winning general recognition of the great debt the Church of England owes to him for his faithfulness unto death in defence of the Church and Her apostolic ministry. The