Final answer:
The major issue between popes and rulers during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance was political power and authority.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major issue between popes and rulers during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance was political power and authority. During this time period, popes and rulers often clashed over the extent of their power and authority, leading to power struggles and conflicts.
The popes claimed both spiritual and temporal power, commanding armies, making political alliances, and even waging war. They sought to establish their supremacy over the church and gain control over secular matters.
This issue was particularly prominent during the Renaissance when the church's power and influence came under scrutiny due to clerical immorality, ignorance, and absenteeism, as well as the practices of simony and nepotism.