Freddie Mercury...

Freddie was a Parsi.

Parsis descend from Iran, but moved to India a thousand years ago. They were chased out of Iran by Islamic invaders. Freddie was not a muslim, he had a very British upbringing, born in Zanzibar, but left Zanzibar after it was granted its independence by Britain and conflict broke out with Africans. He was a British citizen and was educated in Bombay at a private catholic school.
 
Thanks for the information Tiberius.

I assumed he was Arab since Zanzibar was the focal point of the Arab slave trade for 600 years. They lost control of Zanzibar to the Portuguese in a series of sea battles for control of the Indian Ocean. The Ottoman Turks took up the cause but they also got sunk. The taking of Zanzibar allowed the Portuguese to establish colonies on the western Indian coast most notably Goa. The first governor of Goa eventually lent his name to an American city: Albuquerque.
 


LOL


Freddie Mercury was flamboyantly gay but did have a couple of relationships with women. He and his first girlfriend Mary Austin had always remained best friends and he was the godfather to her children. He often said she was the love of his life. When he died, he left the bulk of his estate to her.


He also dated German actress Barbara Valentin for a few years. Apparently it wasn't a sexual relationship (and they were both seeing other men) but Freddie would often get jealous.
 
LOL


Freddie Mercury was flamboyantly gay but did have a couple of relationships with women. He and his first girlfriend Mary Austin had always remained best friends and he was the godfather to her children. He often said she was the love of his life. When he died, he left the bulk of his estate to her.

He was very ahead of the curve when it came to his love and affection, as expected of such a wonderful dynamic individual. I spent the whole day yesterday with a massive queens playlist playing .. and it was time well spent.
 
If I could bring back a Rock Star from the dead, Freddie would be at the top of that list.