Patrice Morell was a French shipping magnate in 19th-century Marseille. In 1815, he promoted his seaman Edmond Dantès to captain of his ship Pharaon after hearing of his initiative in attempting to procure medical care for his sick captain Reynaud Leclère against the advice of Philippe Danglars, who, attending that meeting, accused Morell of demoting him. However, Danglars and Morell's representative Fernand Mondego were able to secure Dantès' arrest for smuggling a letter for Napoleon, after which Morell was forced to name Danglars captain of the Pharaon. After falling on hard economic times, Morell was forced to partner with Danglars, who ultimately pushed Morell out of the company and impoverished him. In 1828, Dantès - escaped from the Chateau d'If - visited Morell under the alias "Zatarra" and asked for information on "Edmond Dantès". Morell said that Dantès' father had committed suicide on hearing that his son had been convicted of murder, and that his lover Mercédès Inguanada had gone on to marry Mondego. A disappointed "Zatarra" thanked Morell for his help and told him that Dantès was dead.