Khanate of Khiva
Gurlen was one of the medieval cities of Khorezm. A fortress was built about north of Gurlen called Taza Vazir ("New Vazir"). The Hanafi jurist of Khwarezm, Jalal ad-Din Kurlani, is from Gurlen. In the early 19th century, it was a well-known merchant city of the Khanate of Khiva. Gurlen featured a New Method school from 1905 to 1911 which encountered extreme conservative opposition.