Final answer:
The dispute between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was over the invention of calculus and involved allegations of plagiarism. The Royal Society favored Newton in the dispute, but many European mathematicians supported Leibniz. The controversy ended with the deaths of the two mathematicians, acknowledging both as contributors to the invention of calculus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The dispute between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz revolved around the invention of calculus. Both mathematicians independently developed their own versions of calculus in the 17th century. Newton's approach to calculus, which he called 'fluxions', was developed around 1665-1666 but wasn't fully published until after Leibniz had published his own findings. Leibniz published a description of his version of calculus in 1684, which he called 'differential calculus'.
The debate over who invented calculus first became very bitter and divisive, especially after it was brought to the Royal Society, of which Newton was the president. The Society ruled in favor of Newton, although many European mathematicians favored Leibniz's notation and approach. This controversy not only had scientific implications but also had a nationalistic element since Newton was English and Leibniz was German.
The dispute eventually ended with the deaths of both mathematicians, and history has largely recognized both as independent and simultaneous inventors of calculus. However, the arguments and bitterness surrounding the dispute overshadowed the relationship between British and continental European mathematicians for many years afterward.