The '''Karimi''' (Crimeans) were originally a [[Persian Sufi]] class of [[Cuman]] once famous as merchants who controlled the trade routes through [[Crimea]] (Persian: Karima) where they were attracted to the religion of [[Romaniot]] Jews of the [[Karaite]] persuasion. They were known for being Qara'im and became the first [[Karaitizers]]. Their leaders believed they had Israelite ancestry and moved to Lithuania in 1396 where they studied Karaite Judaism. They were originally named [[Karaimite Jews]] rather than Qaraite Jews. They were the inspiration to the people who adopted their [[Karaimite]] religion known as Subbotniks in the Russian empire. Jewish missionaries referred to their religion as Karaimism (Karaimization). Such people were descended from the 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.
