means The act or order of one person, thing, or event following and taking the place of another — especially the passing of a title, throne, office, or inheritance to the next in line.

from From Latin successio, from succedere 'to come after, follow close behind, go up,' built from sub- 'under, close after' plus cedere 'to go, move' — the same cedere that gives us cede, recede, and proceed. The image baked in is one of stepping up from below to take another's place, foot in the same footprint. It entered English through Old French in the medieval period, carrying the heavy freight of crowns and bloodlines that it still drags around today.