They were descendants of the second Shi'a Imam (Imam Hasan ibn Ali) and brought Islam to the south Caspian Sea region of Iran.
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The name takes its origins from Alavids (سلسله علویان طبرستان in Persian), Shia emirates based in Mazandaran (Tabaristan) of Iran.
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After their defeat in 928 AD by Samanid empire Alavids dispersed into three main branches: the main brunch was absorbed into the conquering Samanid empire; second moved up north following the caspian sea to present day Azerbaijan; the third branch took refuge in northern part of Armenia (what is now Dzoramut/Norashen territories).