Final answer:
The correct answer is option a) Public display.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fate of Vlad III Dracula's decapitated head, after his death, is a matter of historical interest and debate. According to various historical sources, it is believed that the head was sent to Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire as a trophy to prove Vlad's death and to prevent any rumors of his survival. The Ottomans were known to display the heads of slain enemies as a sign of victory and to deter others from opposing them.
Therefore, it is widely accepted among historians that Vlad's head was put on public display in Constantinople, much like the tradition followed by the Ottomans during that era, as indicated in accounts relating to the Ottoman victories, such as the beheading of Władysław III, King of Poland, during the Battle of Varna. This event was even depicted in Ottoman miniatures, demonstrating how the beheading and display of enemy leaders were utilized as war propaganda.
In relation to the provided references, historical practices of public display of the dead, especially important or royal individuals, can sometimes be echoed in the fate of leaders and significant figures, as noted in the mention of embalming and beliefs about the incorruptibility of remains in Russian tradition and the secret burial and exhumation of Kornilov's body. However, in Vlad's case, most evidence suggests his head was not buried secretly, nor used in a diplomatic exchange, but rather displayed according to the customs of the time.