It is thought that Hrelja's Tower was used as a protection for the monks, as well as a cache for valuables, a jail or a place to isolate mentally-ill people.

[4] The inscription on the tower testifies that by the time of its construction Hrelja still acknowledged Serbian suzerainty: During the rule of the most supreme lord King Stefan Dušan, lord Prōtosebastos Hrelja, with great work and at a great expense built this tower to the holy father saint John of Rila and to the Mother of God, called Osenovitsa, in the year 6843 indiction fifth.

In the late 1330s, Hrelja broke away from Serbia and became an autocrat with his capital at Strumica; he formally recognized Byzantine authority, but had vast political autonomy.

[3] After Kantakouzenos suffered some heavy losses in the civil war and retreated to Stefan Dušan's court in the summer of 1342, he agreed to sacrifice his ally in return for Serbian support.

[1][3] In Bulgarian and Serbian epic folklore, Hrelja (Relja Krilatica) is glorified as an ally of Prince Marko and a protector of the people against the Ottoman Turks.

After the time of King Milutin, Hilandar's property was significantly enlarged by the additions of many metochia with their land and income such as Holy Archangels' at Štip, the donation of Hrelja.