Meaning of a phase

Hello! I have a question about a phrase in a sentence. What is the exact meaning of the underlined part? Does it mean "(from the monarch) to governments" or "(from government) to Bismarck"? Thanks in advance.

The Prussian king, Wilhelm I, was a conventional man, and not particularly clever or insightful — in other words, the opposite of his minister, Bismarck. He disliked much of what Bismarck did and how he did it. Yet at some level, the king recognized that he and his dynasty needed Bismarck even though, as Wilhelm once mildly complained, "It's hard to be Kaiser under him." Since the monarch had the final say over foreign and defence policy, and governments answered only to him, and not the other way around, Bismarck only in the name of Wilhelm was able to exert great control over domestic and foreign affairs. The two men's relationship was marked by terrible arguments. Bismarck would come down with severe headaches and fits of vomiting and claim that he was dying. He frequently threatened to resign. In the end it was always Wilhelm who backed down saying, "Bismarck mustn't think of resigning." Wilhelm wrote to him after one scene: "It is my greatest happiness to live with you and thoroughly agree with you!"