The '''Karimi''' (Crimeans) were originally a [[Persian Sufi]] class of [[Cuman]] merchants who controlled the trade routes through [[Crimea]] (Persian: Karima) where they interacted with were attracted to the religion of [[Romaniot]] Jews of the [[Karaite]] persuasion. They were known for being the first [[Karaitizers]]. Their leaders believed they had Israelite ancestry and moved to Lithuania in 1396 where they studied Karaite Judaism but were known first as Turkic named [[KaraimitesKaraims]] before finally (after WW2) naming themselves rather than Karaites. Thry were the priests to the people who adopted their [[KaraimsKaraimite]] after their now extinct clerical caste. People adopted the Karimi's religion were known as Subbotniks in the Russian empire. Jewish missionaries referred to their religion as Karaimite. Such people include the descendants of the related proto-[[Molokan]] [[Keraites]] who arrived in the lands of [[Old Rus']] with [[Batu Khan]]'s [[Tatar invasion]]. The last religious families of Karimi were the Firkoviches and the Shapshals.
