Answer
Claudius succeeded Caligula as emperor, assuming the throne following Caligula's assassination in 41 AD. Claudius, born Tiberius Claudius Caesar Germanicus, was Caligula's uncle and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Claudius was not the natural heir to the throne but was chosen by the Praetorian Guard, the elite imperial bodyguards, due to his perceived stability and experience.