The '''Karimi''' or ''' Keremi''' (Crimeans) were once famous as merchant '''Kermikhiones ''' who controlled the trade routes through Crimea (Persian: Karima). They are a Quasi-Subbotnik type of Karaimite.
Jewish communities existed in many of the Greek colonies in the region during the late classic period. Recently excavated inscriptions in Crimea have revealed a Jewish presence at least as early as the 1st century BCE. In some Crimean towns, monotheistic pagan cults called Hypsistarians or sebomenoi theon hypsiston ("Worshippers of the All-Highest God," or "God-Fearers") existed. These quasi-proselytes kept the Jewish commandments but remained uncircumcised and retained certain pagan customs. This became the basis of the Crimean religion of the Karimi which was adopted by Khazars.
Their religion was described as similar to that of the [[Crimean Karaites]] and so the Karimi Noahites gave their name to all [[Crimean-Karaitizers]] that copied their example.
The 40 families of [[Karaite-Turks]] settled in Bakhchisarai crrtainly certainly adopted this religion when they arrived and mixed with the Ghisolfi family.
In the 15th century their religion was already widespread in Novgorod and wad represented in Moscow by Elena of Moldavia and her son the Crown Prince Dimitry. However, Sofia Palaiologina started to bring the Russian church into alignment with Greece instead and cracked down on the Karimi who had to seek refuge with the Ghisolfis in the Crimean Khanate.
