succeed to

late 14c., "come next after, take the place of another," from Old French succeder (14c.), from Latin succedere "come after, go near to," from sub "next to, after" (see sub-) + cedere "go, move" (see cede). Meaning "to continue, endure" is from early 15c. The sense of "turn out well, have a favorable result" is first recorded late 15c., with ellipsis of adverb (succeed well).