Karimi

The Karimi (Crimeans) were originally a Persian Sufi class of Cuman 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 the first Karaitizers. Their leaders believed they had Israelite ancestry and moved to Lithuania in 1396 where they studied Karaite Judaism but were named Karaims rather than Karaites. Thry were the priests to the people who adopted their Karaimite religion 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.