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. 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.