In the 1500s, Muscovy, aware of the need for official diplomacy, found few trustworthy individuals in its own towns who were cosmopolitan enough to carry on effectively abroad. The throne therefore turned to a succession of foreigners for its diplomatic service. One of them, Anthony Jenkinson (fl. late 16th century), an English merchant, carried out extensive missions to Persia and West Asia during 1558 and 1559 as a personal envoy for Ivan IV (r. 1533–84) and, therefore, for Muscovy. This exposed Russians to strong cultural, economic, and social influences from West Asia.